Home Forums Etc... Related Issues Milk Collection

Ok, I have a simple question- maybe!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> I am wondering, I once read but can not find it now, what the shelf life on breast milk is? When you pump during the day is it always best to put in the refridge until you put it in the freezer? How many hours can it stay out of the fridge, and how many hours can it sit out of the refridge before it starts to spoil? I have been pumping and have been taking it with me during the day at work, I have not had a refridge to put it in so I have been leaving it in the bottles in the vehicle. I know it is starting to finally get warm out, and I am thinking it probably can not sit out in the vehicle any longer....... Or maybe it shouldnt have been........ Anyone know what the life of the milk is sitting out of the refridge, sitting in the refridge, and how long does it keep in the fridge?

Thanks for all your help!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I don't know Shelley, but I would get a small cooler with those blue packs that you can freeze and keep the milk in there during the day.

Yeah. I can tell you. I got this magnet from one a lactation consultant when I went to pick up my pump.
Okay.
Freshly expressed bm: at room temp: 4 hours; cooler with 3 frozen ice packs: 24 hours; refrigerator: 5-7 days; self-contained refrigerator freezer unit: 3-4 months; Deep freezer: 6-12 months.

Thawed breastmilk (previously frozen): room termp: do not store; coolere with 3 frozen ice packs: do not store; refrigerator: 24 hours; self-contained refrigerator freezer unit: never refreeze thawed milk; Deep freezer: never refreeze thawed milk.

Hope that helps.

Jessica

Thanks for all the help, I am thinking that I need to throw a couple away that I believe were in the vehicle too long, but other then that I should be ok---- Thanks again

breast milk can be at room temp for 12 hours.

Hi Shelley,

You basically never have to throw away your breastmilk. If you're concerned, you can always scald it in a pot on the stove or pasteurize it if it's a big batch.

And the room temp time is no more than 10 hours officially. Unofficially, I never throw out my milk no matter what.

Warmest regards,

What would cause breastmilk to sour? When we were in Ireland I pumped for my son on occasion . He would never take a bottle so I would give my DD the milk in a cup and on more than one occasion it was soured. It hadn't sat out so we couldn't figure out why.

are you sure it was soured? Or did it have lumps on top in the fridge. It was probably the cream.When its cold it does that

Yes, it was sour. My daughter said it tasted funny and when I checked it she was right. It was soured. It looked fine but tasted bad. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Hi Ladies,

Sometimes the lactase enzyme in milk can cause it to taste sour but the milk is still good. You can fix the sour milk by 'denaturing' the enzyme. All you do is scald the milk on the stove. That usually dose the trick. Just be sure to cool it down sufficiently for baby.

Warmest regards,